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http://wosu.org/2012/wp-content/themes/wosu-child-home/images/wosu_public_media_120_27.jpg12575More universities require students to have health insurancehttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/17/more-universities-require-students-to-have-health-insurance/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/17/more-universities-require-students-to-have-health-insurance/#commentsThu, 17 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/17/more-universities-require-students-to-have-health-insurance/College students are a young and generally healthy bunch, but each year students are forced to drop out of school because of massive medical bills. On some campuses as many as 30-percent of students are uninsured.

]]>College students are a young and generally healthy bunch, but each year students are forced to drop out of school because of massive medical bills. On some campuses as many as 30-percent of students are uninsured. That has universities all over the country considering making health insurance mandatory. But some say it’s an extra expense struggling students just can’t afford.

Ohio State is in its third year of requiring students to have health insurance. Director of Student Health Services Dr. Ted Grace says healthcare is a necessity, and insurance makes it affordable.

“It might not be at the top with shelter and clothing and food but it’s probably in the top 5,” said Grace.

He says in the past students often failed to pay for it. There was once a time when Ohio state students could go to doctor’s out in the community and get free medical care, but with the medical system as it is now, that’s no longer possible. In the year before Ohio State instituted mandatory insurance, uninsured student’s owed the campus medical center alone $600-thousand. But Grace says that wasn’t the primary motivation for requiring insurance.

Ohio State Sophomore Jamie Bressler is waiting for a friend at the campus’s student health center. It’s place she’s gotten all too familiar with in recent months. She had a seizure on campus and now comes to the health center for regular checkups.

“I had never had another seizure in my life. I was perfectly healthy, went to doctors, checkups everything. Never knew anything was wrong and then all of a sudden I wake up in a hospital room. They tell me I had had a seizure,” she said.

Bressler says she’s fine now, and she’s almost recovered from the medical bills too. Ohio State requires all students to have health insurance, whether it be through their parents’ plan, or through a university plan that costs about $1,200 dollars a year. Bressler was insured through the university.

“You know I ended up with hundreds of bills, hundreds of dollars in bills and with student health insurance, that helped lower the cost. Whereas if I didn’t have student health insurance I would be very much in debt,” she said.

Or not in school at all. Medical bills are a common reason cited by students who drop out of college, says Dr. Glen Egelman, physician in chief at Bowling Green State University.

“They’re struggling with, do I pay this bill? If I don’t pay this bill then I ruin my credit rating. But I can stay in school. If I pay this bill then I am going to have to pick up a second or 3rd job while trying to attend college full time, or drop out. And that’s what ends up happening. It becomes a retention issue for the university,” he said.

That’s one of the reasons Egelman is trying to convince the university to require all students to have health insurance. But it’s going to be a tough sell. Past medical directors at the university have been trying to make the change since the 1980s and each time, it’s been rejected, either by the student senate or the university regents. Eagelman says many students don’t think they need health insurance. But in his first 2 years of practice at a university, he diagnosed 6 students with cancer.

“Just because you may be between the ages of 18 and 24 doesn’t mean that medical conditions can’t strike you at any time. That’s the whole point of insurance, to protect you in unforeseen circumstances,” he said.

Nationwide about 90% of private universities already require health insurance for students. Among public universities it’s only about a quarter, according to a survey by Stephen Beckley a healthcare and benefits consultant for universities. But, he says many major public universities are now considering a switch to mandatory insurance.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/17/more-universities-require-students-to-have-health-insurance/feed/0Blue Jackets, fans, business owners cope with lost seasonhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/16/blue-jackets-fans-business-owners-cope-with-lost-season/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/16/blue-jackets-fans-business-owners-cope-with-lost-season/#commentsWed, 16 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/16/blue-jackets-fans-business-owners-cope-with-lost-season/The Columbus Blue Jackets and their fans are reacting to the announcement that the National Hockey League season is over. Players and owners were not able to reach an agreement in their labor dispute.

]]>The commissioner of the national hockey league announced today that the season is over. Players and owners were not able to reach an agreement in their labor dispute. Columbus Blue Jackets President and General Manager Doug McClean says he is disappointed the hockey season is cancelled the first time a major American league has canceled an entire season.

A key sticking point in negotiations was a salary cap. The league and players’ union negotiated through the night on Tuesday but couldn’t agree on a number. The players proposed $49 million per team; the owners held firm at $42.5 million. But McClean says it wasn’t as close as it seemed. “The Blue Jackets cannot live with a $42 million cap,” McLean said.

The owners locked out the players before the start of the season. Now, they are looking to next season.

McClean says he expects the negotiations will continue, but an agreement won’t come easily. The sport as a whole has been struggling with fan support.

Hockey games are no longer getting prominent network television airtime and the lucrative contracts that come with it and some experts have suggested the sport may never recover from this year’s canceled season. McClean admits it will be hard for the Blue Jackets,”We have to rebuild we will come back stronger than ever.”

Just a few hundred yards away from the arena, at the Gordon Bierch brewery and restaurant, business is slow. General Manager Stewart Miller says without hockey, his business suffers.

But Miller says, he’s glad the wondering is over.

Now, Stewart and others who make their living in the arena district are just hoping there will be hockey next season.

At a sports themed restaurant in Columbus, Bob Halley stood under a television monitor when the words appeared on the screen. NHL season cancelled.

Columbus blue jackets season ticket owner would have to wait months more until he could see his team.

The day Halley and his fellow hockey fans feared would arrive arrived. The unresolved dispute between players and owners wiped out the entire NHL season.

At the bar, Mark Dombeck paused between bites of his sandwich to say the cancellation will leave a bad taste in the mouths of fans.

For the blue jackets, the lockout wipes out what would have been the franchise’s fifth season. As a new team in a city where college football dominates, former blue jackets season ticket holder Tim Farrell wonders if the jackets can thrive after the cancellation.

But die hard hockey fan Bob Halley says the blue jackets will return strong once they get back on ice.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/16/blue-jackets-fans-business-owners-cope-with-lost-season/feed/0Smokestacks in Columbus to come down this morninghttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/smokestacks-in-columbus-to-come-down-this-morning/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/smokestacks-in-columbus-to-come-down-this-morning/#commentsTue, 15 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/smokestacks-in-columbus-to-come-down-this-morning/Spectators will have to find their own vantage points if they want to watch officials demolish three smokestacks in Columbus this morning. Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and others are expected to help detonate charges on each of the 272-foot-tall smokestacks at 10:00 am.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/smokestacks-in-columbus-to-come-down-this-morning/feed/0Incinerator smokestacks fallhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/incinerator-smokestacks-fall/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/incinerator-smokestacks-fall/#commentsTue, 15 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/15/incinerator-smokestacks-fall/A trio of smokestacks have been turned to rubble today as crews began the demolition of a trash-burning power plant on the south side of Columbus.

]]>A longtime monument to city fiscal mismanagement, was toppled today. A demolition crew imploded the three smoke stacks at the former trash burning power plant, on the south end of Columbus. WOSU’s Tamara Keith was there and prepared this report.

With several large booms, the 3 smoke stacks, 270 feet each of concrete and steel, crashed to the ground one after another.

Andy Jager is a blaster with Dykon Demolition Explosive Corporation.

“We drilled the stacks with approximately100 holes and loaded them with about 50 pounds of explosives and this morning we detonated them and they fell in the planned direction. Everything went pretty smooth,” he said.

The former trash burning power plant opened in 1983, at one point burning 44 tons of coal and 523 tons of trash daily to produce power for the city of Columbus. But there were problems almost from the start. It didn’t work as planned, bowling balls and panty hose stumped the system. Neighbors complained about pollution and eventually the Environmental Protection Agency stepped in. The plant was losing money and required expensive improvements. In 1994 the city and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio shut it down. With dust from the demolition still hanging in the air, Mayor Michael Coleman told a crowd of community leaders and reporters that the smoke stacks represented a dark cloud over the city a financial mistake.

“This facility represented almost a half a billion dollars of taxpayer investment. It didn’t work and now we’re taking it down and we’re going to do something that will work for our community,” he said.

The city still owes more than $50 million dollars on bonds taken out to build the plant, a plant that has been dormant for more than a decade and will be fully demolished later this year. But Coleman says, it felt good to push the button that sent the smoke stacks tumbling down.

“I’m glad it’s down because it was symbolically not what I want Columbus to be known for. I want Columbus to be known as a green community, an environmentally safe community. Frankly the taking down of these stacks is a step up for the city of Columbus,” said Coleman.

Michael Long, executive director of the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio says he isn’t sure what will replace the plant, but he wants it to be environmentally friendly.

“We’re going to be working with the city to redevelop this into something that I hope will be green businesses, green industry,” he said.

On March 15th the plant’s main building will come down. It will be imploded as well. The company hired to do the demolition is actually paying the city 377-thousand dollars because they expect to make so much money from selling the scrap steel.

]]>At least 5 Ohio cities including Columbus are considering installing red light cameras at intersections prone to red light violations. Columbus police cite accident statistics showing crashes are reduced at intersections where the cameras are in place. The tickets resulting from the cameras have also proved to be a good source of revenue for cities in other states. But a State Representative from Cincinnati introduced legislation today that would ban the use of cameras for enforcement.

Raussen says the cameras invade privacy. He also cites a recent study that found rear end accidents actually increased in intersections where cameras have been installed. And he says, Ohio wouldn’t be the first state to ban the cameras.

The legislation was introduced today in the Ohio house with 25 co-sponsors. It would ban the use of red light cameras for traffic enforcement and would only allow their use if an officer was present at the intersection. Columbus police said they were instructed by city staff not to comment on the legislation. Columbus city council could vote to install the cameras in the next few weeks.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/10/representative-proposes-red-light-camera-ban/feed/0Critics say blue bags won’t help Columbus recycling ratehttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/10/critics-say-blue-bags-wont-help-columbus-recycling-rate/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/10/critics-say-blue-bags-wont-help-columbus-recycling-rate/#commentsThu, 10 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/10/critics-say-blue-bags-wont-help-columbus-recycling-rate/Mayor Michael Coleman calls the city of Columbus's recycling efforts pitiful. Just 3% of households participate in the city's current curbside recycling program. The mayor is planning a new pilot recycling program to boost participation, but some warn it may be trouble.

]]>Mayor Michael Coleman calls the city of Columbus’s recycling efforts pitiful. Just 3% of households participate in the city’s current curbside recycling program. The mayor is planning a new pilot recycling program to boost participation, but some warn it may be trouble.

Last year in the city of Columbus, residents threw out about 340-thousand tons of trash. They recycled a little more than 20-thousand tons. But Mayor Michael Coleman thinks he might have a solution.

Late last month, he introduced a pilot recycling program, called blue bag. Residents would put their paper, bottles and cans in a blue plastic bag, and then throw it in with the rest of their garbage. The blue bags would be pulled out for recycling at the transfer station.

The program will be rolled out to 10-thousand homes this spring. The city will concentrate on teaching those residents about recycling and how the program works. If it is a success, Mayor Coleman says he’d like to take it citywide by the end of 2006. But that would be a horrible mistake, says Betsey Vandercook, president of the Chicago Recycling Coalition. Chicago has had its own blue bag program for a decade.

In Chicago, the program has faced frequent criticism. A recently released study found just 13-percent of residents participate, despite millions of dollars in marketing. Vandercook says residents are dubious and for good reason.

Columbus officials admit the blue bag program isn’t the be all and end all but it’s a good option, they say, given the city’s budget limitations. Plus, Chicago’s 13% rate is still significantly better than what Columbus has right now.

For the past decade Columbus has contracted out its curbside recycling program to Cincinnati based Rumpke Incorporated. Residents pay 5-dollars a month to have their recycling picked up. But only about 10-thousand households participate out of more than 320-thousand in Columbus. Amanda Wilson of Rumpke says other cities have greater participation because they build recycling fees into city taxes and residents automatically get recycling bins. That’s not the case in Columbus.

Recycling experts say this system sets-up Columbus’s recycling program for failure. It’s simply not in residents’ economic interests to recycle. The Ohio department of Natural Resources recycling division advocates what’s known as a pay as you throw system,’ where trash disposal costs money based on quantity and all recycling is free.

That’s the system in Upper Arlington which has one of the best recycling rates in the state. Last year 46% of the city’s garbage was recycled. But Pay as you throw is politically unpopular and it simply wouldn’t be possible in Columbus, says Mary Carran Webster is assistant director of Public Service for Columbus.

The city spent more than 9-million dollars last year on tipping fees to dispose of the garbage at the Franklin County Landfill. Even if Columbus only increased its recycling rate to 20-percent, it could save up to 1-point-8 million dollars a year. The blue bag program is scheduled to start sometime in April in the southeast quadrant of the city.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/10/critics-say-blue-bags-wont-help-columbus-recycling-rate/feed/0South-Western Schools levy failshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/09/south-western-schools-levy-fails/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/09/south-western-schools-levy-fails/#commentsWed, 09 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/09/south-western-schools-levy-fails/Voters in the South-Western City Schools have again rejected a proposed property tax. The 9.7 mill levy lost by 721 votes in Tuesday's balloting and it will mean deep cuts in the school district budget.

]]>Voters in the South-Western City Schools district have rejected a 9.7 mil tax levy. The levy lost by 721 votes. It was one of more than 60 school funding issues on the ballot in Ohio yesterday.

This was the second time in 3 months that the South Western City Schools had taken their plea for school funding to the voters. When the levy failed in November the board of education approved more than $12-million in cuts for next school year, to bridge a projected deficit. Now that the second levy attempt has failed, district Superintendent Kirk Hamilton says those cuts will become a reality.

About 100 parents, teachers and students gathered Tuesday night at the South Western Career Academy in Grove City to wait for the election returns to come in. As district officials posted the final results, parent Cindy Rawlins cried. She has a daughter who is a Grove City High School freshman and a son who is a junior.

Mascara ran from the corners of her eyes as Rawlins listed all the programs that would be cut if the district follows through on its lean budget plan.

District officials have just over a week to decide whether they want to take the levy back to the ballot in May.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/09/south-western-schools-levy-fails/feed/0South-Western Schools appeal for levyhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/07/south-western-schools-appeal-for-levy/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/07/south-western-schools-appeal-for-levy/#commentsMon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/07/south-western-schools-appeal-for-levy/A record 63 school money issues are on the ballot tomorrow in Ohio. The South-Western City Schools in Grove City want voters to approve a 9.7 mill levy that, if passed, would add about $300 in additional taxes on a home valued at $100-thousand. South -Western District officials approved $13-million in budget cuts after voters rejected a levy in November.

]]>A record 63 school money issues are on the ballot tomorrow in Ohio. The South-Western City Schools in Grove City want voters to approve a 9.7 mill levy that, if passed, would add about $300 in additional taxes on a home valued at $100-thousand. South -Western District officials approved $13-million in budget cuts after voters rejected a levy in November.

Until November, the South-Western City Schools hadn’t asked for an operating levy in a decade. The district’s voters have a history of denying levy’s, in the past such measures have taken several tries before passing. But superintendent Kirk Hamilton thought last year’s levy had a good chance of passage. Now he calls November’s defeat a disappointment.

He says voters, especially those in the South-Western Schools district are reluctant to approve new taxes.

In December the board approved some $12-million in cuts for next fiscal year. Twelve administrators would be laid off along with 80 teachers. There would be no extra-curricular activities, and all schools would close their doors 30 minutes after classes are dismissed.

If the levy passes it will pay for general operating expenses, classroom materials, utilities, supplies and staff, as well as classroom technology upgrades and replacement of high mileage school busses. If the levy fails, the cuts would take effect at the beginning of next fiscal year in July.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/07/south-western-schools-appeal-for-levy/feed/0Mayor Coleman launches bid for Ohio Governorhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/mayor-coleman-launches-bid-for-ohio-governor/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/mayor-coleman-launches-bid-for-ohio-governor/#commentsTue, 01 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/mayor-coleman-launches-bid-for-ohio-governor/Columbus mayor Michael Coleman has announced he is a candidate for Ohio governor in 2006. Coleman made his announcement Tuesday in front of his East Columbus home.

]]>Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is the first Democrat in next year’s race for Ohio governor.

Coleman announced he will run for the office Tuesday from his home. He’s been mayor of Ohio’s biggest city since 1999 and was re-elected in 2003. He will not have to give up his job to run.

Other Democrats said to be interested in the job are Congressman Sherrod Brown of Lorain, TV talk show host and former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer and former Attorney General Lee Fisher of Cleveland.

Republicans in the race include Attorney General Jim Petro, state Auditor Betty Montgomery and Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/mayor-coleman-launches-bid-for-ohio-governor/feed/0Township restaurants continue to allow smokinghttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/township-restaurants-continue-to-allow-smoking/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/township-restaurants-continue-to-allow-smoking/#commentsTue, 01 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tamara Keithhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/02/01/township-restaurants-continue-to-allow-smoking/The city of Columbus Smoking Ban went into effect yesterday. City health officials say they've received a few complaints, but generally they say people seem to be following the law. Sprinkled throughout the city of Columbus, there are several small township islands and in these townships, businesses are not required to ban smoking. WOSU's Tamara Keith has a profile of one of these businesses. Stan's restaurant in Blendon Township.

]]>The city of Columbus Smoking Ban went into effect yesterday. City health officials say they’ve received a few complaints, but generally they say people seem to be following the law. Sprinkled throughout the city of Columbus, there are several small township islands, and in these townships, businesses are not required to ban smoking. Stan’s restaurant is in Blendon Township.

For now Stan’s customers will be able to keep smoking indoors. Townships do not have the legal authority to pass ordinances like the Columbus smoking ban. So, unless the state legislature gets involved, there will be township islands all around the city where smoking is allowed.